Domestic violence criminal cases are very distinct under Colorado law. First it is important to understand that domestic violence in Colorado is not a crime in and of itself. Our Colorado Springs defense attorneys explain it as more of a tag or label that is placed on your case. In El Paso, Pueblo, Douglas and Fremont counties, you must be charged with a crime, either a misdemeanor or felony, before that domestic violence tag can attach to your case.
The DV or domestic violence tag will be added if the crime is deemed to have been committed for the purpose of coercion, control, punishment, intimidation, or revenge directed at a person with whom the aggressor has or had an intimate relationship. In order for the offense to be considered a crime involving domestic violence, the parties must be in or have been in an intimate relationship. “Intimate relationship” means a relationship between one of the following groups:
- current or former spouses
- current or former unmarried couples, and
- parents of the same child, regardless of whether the parents were ever married or resided together
Our Colorado Springs domestic violence criminal defense attorneys have found that in EL Paso, Pueblo, Douglas and Fremont counties, the District Attorney will add the domestic violence tag anytime they see that the parties in the case have had an intimate relationship. That is only one prong of the law but it is often all they need to make the charge.
Domestic violence is a terrible tag and should be reserved for those truly deserving of the label. If you are convicted in Colorado of a domestic violence crime, there are many additional consequences you will face just because your case was labeled as domestic violence under the law.
At Maher & Maher Law, we understand the complexities of domestic violence criminal defense. Our Colorado Springs criminal defense lawyers believe that every effort should be made on your behalf to remove the domestic violence tag from any criminal charge you may be facing. Our criminal defense attorneys all worked at the El Paso County District Attorney’s office as prosecutors prior to becoming criminal defense attorneys. The know how domestic violence prosecutors think and work. Our criminal defense attorneys also know how to hold the prosecution to their burden when it comes to adding that domestic violence tag to your case.
Contact Maher & Maher Law to speak for free with our experienced, aggressive Colorado Springs criminal defense attorneys today. 719-301-7500